My electrical problem involving a GFCI

[branson4020]

OK,
Does your rig have an auto transfer switch?

 

[RollingHome]

Good thinking Bob, I didn't think of that (XFR Switch)... Tom

 

[Willym]

GFCI was not not tripped until the 50 amp electric cord, dogbone and regular extention cord were plugged into the RV. Before that and with the 3 items to the left were connected and plugged into the GFCI, it was not tripped.

So everything was OK, until you actually plugged the cord into the RV. This suggests that the problem is in the supply side in your RV. It could be in the connection point on the side of the trailer, the internal supply cabling, a generator transfer switch if you have one, or the input CB's in the trailer AC panel. Somewhere there is a leakage path from one of the two live sides to ground. As someone else suggested, it doesn't take much.

If you have a generator transfer switch, you could flip it to generator supply and see the GFCI will trip. Otherwise, I suggest that you trace the cable inside the trailer from the side connection to the AC panel and look for damage from chafing or pinching. Next look at the AC panel and transfer switch, if so fitted (remove front access covers with power off) for possible paths to ground (dirt, debris, corrosion, water, short paths) If OK, look at the connector - you may need to disassemble it (if it's a Marinco type, they can be a little awkward to get apart), for the same possible problems.
These are my thoughts, but others may have some better further troubleshooting suggestions. Good luck.

 

[jimtoo]

I think all the easy stuff has been checked. Now is the time for Patrick to call a tech or electrician. Someone could get hurt or cause a real problem now.

Jim M

 

[RollingHome]

So far Jim, Patrick is on the safe side of the GFCI, so he's still OK, that's why others have told him to leave it in place and he has done so ...

 

[patrick1945]

All fixed - found a short and when corrected - allowed us to plug the trailer into the GFI without issue. Thanks so much for everyone's help.

I learned that a short will trip the GFI even though that circuit is switched off. And that same short will not trip the circuit breaker when the FW is plugged into a non-gfi receptacle.

 

[DXprowler]

So where was the short?

 

[patrick1945]

under the bed-this was the second time that receptacle pulled loose while moving that slide.. After the 2nd episode I decided to shorten and deadhead the wire in a box under the bed. So I knew I had to do it and would over the next 5 months BUT " there is no way the GFI issue could be related to the underbead situation because there was no power going to that circuit". But I was wrong and I don't know why. Once I fixed the underbead, turned on that breaker and plugged the FW into the GFCI - all was as it should be. We no longer have a receptacle on the forward side of the bedbox.

 

[DXprowler]

Glad you got it all sorted out! I think I know why that deadhead caused the GFCI to break but I'm sure there are some who can give a more informed explanation.

 

[patrick1945]

This was a mystery to me but not as much as the land crab in my black tank. //heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/14736-FYI-the-land-crab-and-my-waste-water-tank?highlight=

So I am pleased that I have a solution because I learned something today. I am alive,

 

[Willym]

Congratulations on sorting out your problem Patrick.
For this "short" to trip your GFCI with the CB open, it suggests that the breaker is defective also and is allowing some current to get through with it going to ground at the deadend. Was this CB tripping when you had the original underbed problem? If it was, the CB may have developed an internal fault due to arcing. Just a theory - I don't like electrical mysteries!1